RAID OR INVASION P—A FRENCH OPINION. [To THE EDITOR OP
THY ..SPECTATOE.""
STR,—If you can afford any more space for the discussion of this subject, I will inform your reviewer that I am acquainted with all the books he mentions except "La Question d'Orient dans is Mer Rouge." It is surprising that your reviewer should not know that, when an expert writing on his pro- fession gets a layman to collaborate with him, it is not because he attributes, or expects his readers to attribute, any importance to that layman's opinions on technical matters, but because be wishes to have the help of literary skill in making his own views known. Opinions on naval and military questions are neither better nor worse because they are those of a foreigner. Their value depends on the experi- ence and ability of the person who holds them. Perhaps there are not many who have done more than I have to make known in this country foreign views on naval questions. I have done this, I hope, with discretion, and certainly after efforts to ascertain how far the real value of a writer's views corresponds with their face value,—a method of proceeding which may be commended to the notice of your reviewer, who is still reticent as to the naval and military experience of the writer whose opinion he prefers to that of officers of un- questioned practical experience. I must continue to maintain that a writer who is not holding, or has not held, an at least moderately important official position must be regarded as irresponsible; and, until we are informed what his technical experience is, that he is of absolutely unknown authority. CYPRIAN A. G. BRIDGE.
Previous page
